 | | Dear MCA Members and Interested Parties:
Senator Boysko's and Delegate Sullivan's March 24th Post-General Assembly Session Town Hall at the McLean Community Center drew a large crowd interested in the local impact of state legislation and federal initiatives. The representatives discussed the status of bills they had proposed or backed, and attendees thanked them for their support of efforts to defeat the Casino Bill. MCA co-sponsors events like this one -- and the Pre-General Assembly Session Town Hall held in December -- to keep you informed and provide a forum for you to get your questions answered. Click here to view more photos of the event.
I also attended Supervisor Bierman's March 28th Budget Town Hall at the McLean Community Center, where the numbers discussed reflected the reality that declines in real estate tax revenues from commercial buildings combined with projected reductions in federal and state funding make this a particularly challenging year. MCA's budget resolution, below, includes suggestions for how the County might solve its budget crunch without raising property taxes.
-- Linda Walsh, MCA President
| | MCA Annual Membership Meeting
Thursday, May 22
Reception: 6:30 pm
Meeting: 7:30 pm
McLean Community Center, Community Hall
Please join us for a wine and cheese reception, beginning at 6:30 pm. Our guest speaker will be Dranesville Supervisor Jimmy Bierman. Presentations will be made by MCA Officers and Committee Chairs, and the President of the McLean Community Foundation (MCF) will present the MCF Annual Report. The members will elect the MCA Board of Directors and Officers and MCF Trustees.
An invitation with the full agenda and nominated slate will be sent later this month. | | |
MCA Recommends Budget Alternatives to Raising Property Taxes
MCA recognizes that Fairfax County is navigating a period of significant economic pressure. In addition to the widespread inflation felt nationwide, reductions in federal jobs, agency closures, and the cancellation of high-value contracts and research grants are expected to impact local budgets.
The FY 2026 Advertised General Fund Budget, developed before these recent changes and presented to the Board of Supervisors (BOS) on February 18th, proposes a 7.59 % increase in the average real estate tax bill. This increase stems from rising residential property assessments and a 1.5 cent increase in the tax rate. The 2026 advertised budget presentation suggests the introduction of a 3-4 % Food and Beverage Tax, which could either supplement or replace the tax rate increase. However, unless specifically allocated to offset property taxes, this tax would represent an additional financial burden on residents.
MCA's resolution proposes changes to the 2026 advertised budget to avoid increasing the burden on Fairfax County residents. MCA urges that a Food and Beverage Tax be implemented, and that the revenues be used to proportionally reduce the real estate tax rate, easing the financial strain on residents. Further, MCA recommends identifying alternative funding sources and spending reductions to balance the budget without increasing taxes.
Finally, the resolution reiterates two positions stated in recent resolutions: The County should establish a dedicated funding program for high priority sidewalk and bicycle trail projects, including consideration of a bond resolution for such projects; and the County should defer funding for construction of a new Dunn Loring ES, with the savings used to accelerate needed school renovation projects.
If you plan to attend or testify in upcoming hearings, mark your calendar with these important dates:
April 22nd 4:00pm: BOS public hearing on FY 2026 General Fund Budget
April 23rd 3:00pm: BOS public hearing on Budget
April 24th 3:00pm: BOS public hearing on Budget
May 6th 9:30am: BOS Budget mark-up
May 13th 9:30am: BOS Budget adoption
| Announcing: 17th Annual
MCA Outstanding Character Award for Teenagers
Think about the terrific teens you know . . . then give them a nice, big McLean-sized shout-out.
MCA is again proud to sponsor the Outstanding Character Award for Teenagers to recognize teens with exceptional ethical and compassionate character. Teens who have, on their own and without compensation or formal recognition, cared for elderly relatives or younger siblings, or who have helped out in their neighborhood or anywhere in the Greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area, are eligible for recognition. MCA is proud to recognize these teens and to hold them up as an example for others to follow.
All teen nominations must meet the criteria listed on the application. The MCA Education and Youth (E&Y) Committee will review nominations and select the winners from the most deserving candidates.
A completed Application, including two nominations, must be submitted via email NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2025.
The award consists of a certificate, presented on the outdoor stage at McLean Day at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Names of award winners will be provided to local newspapers to highlight recognition of the teens' achievements.
| Job Fair 2025:
300 students attended this community event co-sponsored by MCA |  | Planning & Zoning Committee to Review McLean-Area SSPA Nominations
The county’s Site-Specific Plan Amendment Process (SSPA) allows the public to propose a land use policy change in the Comprehensive Plan, the guiding document for land use and development decisions in Fairfax County, pertaining to a specific site. Following the biennial countywide cycle for reviewing site-specific proposals, the Board of Supervisors approved a proposed list of SSPA nominations at its meeting on March 4, and staff scheduled community meetings for April.
As MCA's Planning & Zoning Committee will be reviewing the nominations pertaining to McLean-area properties, committee members assigned to each property attended the community meetings where these properties were discussed. (This list was published separately as a News Article and posted to Facebook to provide notice of early-April community meetings.)
Tysons Projects:
Corporate Ridge (2000 and 2010 Corporate Ridge, Tysons)
- Two office buildings, though in 2023 the 10-story building at 2000 Corporate Ridge was approved for repurposing as a live/work development.
- Proposed: Replacing the existing office building and an adjacent office building with 187 to 203 attached townhouses.
Tysons Plaza (1430 Spring Hill Drive, Tysons)
- Three office buildings, with an option for mixed-use development.
- Proposed: Replacing the current three office/retail buildings with either mixed-use residential development or offices with housing and retail components. Option One would retain one of the existing office buildings and generate up to 600 multifamily residential units; Option Two would replace all three office buildings and create up to 1,000 multifamily units. The existing open areas would be used for public urban park space.
Valo Park (7950 Jones Branch Drive, Tysons)
- Thirty-acre office park originally built as Gannett corporate headquarters, but the USA Today publisher departed last year.
- Proposed: Approximately 240,000 square feet in additional office use combined with up to 213 new multifamily residential units, plus retail.
McLean Project:
Vinson Hall (1733 Kirby Road, McLean)
- Residential use with 1 to 2 units per acre.
- Proposed: Expanding the existing senior living facility into a continuing care retirement community with additional independent living units, medical beds and common spaces.
Falls Church Projects:
Beyer-Gordon Road Triangle (118 Gordon Road, Idylwood)
- Residential use with 2-3 dwelling units per acre (du/ac) with an option for 5-8 du/ac if adjacent parcels along Mary Street are consolidated.
- Proposed: Supplementing the existing 415-unit apartment building by developing the parking lot with a seven-story multifamily residential building with 437 units and a combination of approximately 139 new single-family attached and/or stacked townhomes.
| Greater Tysons Citizens Coalition | April GTCC Meeting:
Providence District Supervisor Dalia Palchik:
Tysons Progress and Challenges
Thursday, April 10th
7:00pm
McLean Community Center McLean Room | Senior Safety Summit -- Wednesday, April 23rd
|  |  | CERT Basic Training - Limited Open Spots
MCA is excited to announce that Fairfax County is offering FREE CERT basic training in McLean. CERT teaches people to safely respond to major emergencies where first responders may be delayed. This course focuses on getting prepared for emergencies, safely conducting light search operations and providing life-saving care for victims until first responders arrive. The course concludes with a disaster exercise.
The CERT program provides a backpack with basic response personal protective equipment (PPE), a participant manual and trainee folder. The training and the basic PPE backpack are FREE. It is recommended that trainees add some equipment and materials to their backpack, but this is not required during the course.
Location: McLean Community Center, 1234 Ingleside Ave. McLean, VA 22101
Dates: April 17, 21, 24, 28, May 01, 05, 08 at MCC
May 10: Final Exercise at Lorton Workhouse Art Center, 9719 Workhouse Way, Lorton, VA 22079.
Age Requirements: 18 years or older; 16 & 17 years old, with written parental permission (Fairfax County Hold Harmless Form); 13 to 15 years old, with parent or guardian participating with them in the class.
Community Service: CERT authorizes community service/volunteer hours upon successful completion of the course.
Accommodations: During each session you can expect to walk around buildings, treat patients on your knees, climb stairs, move items out of your way, and assist in carrying survivors. Individuals with physical challenges will be accommodated as much as practical.
To register for this course or to access community service hours or additional CERT Training opportunities, you must create an account with CERT.
If you have any questions, please contact: Wayne Vick, Lead Instructor, at wvick@verizon.net or 202-498-2310.
Thank you,
Patrick Smaldore, MCA Public Safety Liaison | Environment, Parks & Recreation
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Environment, Parks and Recreation Committee
Hosts Meeting on Sustain Fairfax Challenge
Fairfax County is encouraging residents to take climate action into their own hands using BrightAction! This new climate engagement platform makes it simple, easy, and fun to learn about climate solutions and take action through an interactive dashboard. To learn more about the program, you can sign up and attend the MCA Environment, Parks and Recreation Committee (EP&R) virtual Meeting on April 9 at 7:00 p.m. You must register for the meeting to receive the Zoom login instructions.
You have the power to make meaningful changes in your daily life that contribute to a sustainable Fairfax. Join the Sustain Fairfax Challenge and track your climate action. For more information about the Challenge, visit Sustain Fairfax.
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McLean Trees Foundation Continues Tree Talk Series
The McLean Trees Foundation, in collaboration with the Potowmack Chapter of the Virginia Plant Society, will be holding the following webinar on Tuesday, April 15 from 7pm to 8:30pm:
How, when, and why to prune your trees
Pruning is about more than making cuts to remove branches. In this presentation, we will learn about reasons to prune and tree biology that determines the best way to make good cuts that don’t make things worse. Afterwards we will look at the trees and shrubs in this year’s Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (NVSSWCD) seedling bundle.
This is the fourth in a series of talks by Urban Forest Conservationist Jim McGlone, who holds a PhD in Human Ecology from Virginia Tech and recently retired from the Virginia Department of Forestry, where he spent 17 years as an Urban Forest Conservationist. Each talk begins with general information on an aspect of tree selection, planting, and care before covering a particular tree species or genus.
Recordings of earlier talks can be found, along with plenty of other information, on the McLean Trees Foundation website. | | |
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